Why are We Together?
by ifiknowyouatall
Summary: Place for my short drabbles about Jake and Amy. The first chapter is a short little post-episode drabble from Halloween.
1. Chapter 1

_My version of a post-episode for Halloween III: The Heistening. I'm sure there are/will be others, but I wanted to get mine out before I read any others. This was posted on tumblr way closer to when the actual episode aired (any similarities to other work are entirely unintentional). I don_ _'_ _t own any of the characters._

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"So if you're the Queen of the 9-9, that still makes me the King, right?" He waggled his eyebrows at her, playing with the tassles of her robe. She'd kept it on, along with the crown, despite changing out of the janitor's outfit immediately after the coronation.

A couple beers in for both of them, she was a lot more forgiving then she had been in the car on the ride over to Shaw's. Still, she let her mind wander just a bit to the recent past.

Just a few hours ago, she'd accepted his actual, sincere apology, but had refused to kiss him, telling him he had to brush his teeth. It may have been a little bit petty and childish. But he had been behaving like a child all day and she was still reveling in her victory and it just felt like he deserved it.

But he was so damn proud of her. He'd been beaming at her all night; that giant grin plastered was on his face as he bragged to complete strangers about what a genius his girlfriend was. That was one of Jake's most infuriating qualities, Amy thought, taking another swig from her bottle. It was just too damn hard to stay mad at him for long.

"Actually, when the Queen's husband has no claim to any title in his own right, then he's the Prince Consort. He's not a king." She finally answered him and then finished off her third beer.

Her foot started bouncing along with the music as he processed that information and before he could respond, Amy had dragged Jake out into an open space in the bar and began dancing.

Face still radiating pride, he put his hand around her waist and clasped her hand in his and led her in a slightly controlled version of her usually flapping dance. The music slowed a bit and he pulled her close.

"I do love you, you know." He whispered in her ear.

"I do." And her hand was around the back of his neck, pulling him into a kiss that was borderline appropriate for the bar.

"Who slipped you a fourth drink?" He asked with a twinkle in his eye. "You know what, doesn't matter, just going to go with it."

"Come on, let's go consort." She tugged his arm and he followed her like the lost puppy dog.

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Many months later, the crown still adorned the bedpost where it ended up that night. And the robe still hung in her closet. Jake smiled as he grabbed them both, throwing them in a box of memories, alongside a half-eaten bag of peanuts, a fake-pregnancy belly, a bike helmet and an empty heart-shaped velvet box. He dug into his pocket, revealing a gold band with small, inset diamonds, beautiful but practical. Jake was more than ready to officially gain that Prince title.


	2. Chapter 2

Prompt from Aprylynn over on Tumblr, Brooklyn 99 characters are not mine. This is short in-episdoe filler for "Ava."

"What would you do?" Sharon asked him in all seriousness. Desperate for a real answer from her not-so-real god husband. And for all of his joking, Jake knew how serious this was. He tried to take his brain to what one of his undercover aliases or cool cop characters would do, but he couldn't get that organ to cooperate. He was always more of a heart guy anyway.

Eyes squeezed shut, he could hear Sharon'd heavy breathing and he took his own deep breath. He was in a still in the precinct, but with a different pregnant lady screaming.

"Jake! What should we do?! She's three weeks early." Her dark brown hair sweaty as she sat on the couch in Holt's office, worry tinged her voice.

"She's a Santiago already, early is on time, on time is late. Haven't you been trying to teach me that for a decade now?" He tried to joke.

"Jake, I can't do this. I don't have any of my birth plans. The bag's not even in the car. Argh! Shit that hurts."

Grabbing her hand he pulled her up off the couch. "Good thing it's a we then. Because we can do this. We'll remember the plan and Charles will bring us some clothes. Let's get you to the hospital." He opened his eyes and he was back in the briefing room with Sharon, staring at him, waiting for an answer.

"The hospital. I'd go to the hospital, if it were me and…" He trailed off and Sharon gritted her teeth through a smile the next contraction. Terry worked with some weird, but oddly sweet, people.

"Then let's go."

And as he stood there, smiling down at Ava, his mind flashed back to that imaginary universe and to the woman in the hospital waiting room with a killer case of writer's cramp. They weren't anywhere near this place yet, but as he cautiously held this tiny baby his arms, he squeezed his eyes shut again and for a brief moment he was in that other world.

"She's beautiful."


	3. Chapter 3

Characters aren't mine. Just taking them out for a play date. This was originally published over on my tumblr account ( ifiknowyouatall), but I wasn't totally happy with it so there are a few changes here.

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 _"People throw rocks at things that shine. And life makes love look hard." -Taylor Swift_

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"Ames. Stop pacing. We're just going over to my mom's for dinner."

"Yeah, but it's your birthday. And it's the first time I'm going to see her as your girlfriend. And I just want you to have the best day." She resumed circling his small studio while he finished brushing his teeth.

"Are those notecards?" He snuck up behind her, grabbing them from her hand.

"It's just a few key conversation starters…." Stopping any further explanation with a not-so-quick kiss, the note cards ended up in a very non-Santiago array on the bed and floor.

"The day already got off to a great start…I'm talking about the sex." His grin nearly engulfing his face. "And no offense, Santiago, but you can't cook. So let's go get dinner."

Despite her nerves, dinner went smoothly. She'd only silently cursed Jake once for discarding her cards. She was helping Karen clear the table when there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it!" Jake bounced up, but the deflation in his stance and demeanor was visible when he saw the visitor.

"Dad…"

"Happy birthday, son!" Roger handed Jake a set of airline wings. The plastic object fell to the floor, his mouth opening and closing silently.

Both Amy and Karen set the dishes they were carrying down. Placing a hand on the older woman's arm, with a confidence she didn't know she possessed, Amy made her way towards the door.

"Jake. Your mom needs you in the kitchen." Jake's eyes caught hers, slightly confused, a bit curious. Jake Peralta thought he knew Amy Santiago better than almost anyone in the world, but even he would never have hoped to guess what was about to happen.

Roger moved to cross the threshold as Jake backed away, but Amy blocked the opening with her body.

"You don't get to come in."

"I'm sorry, who are you? It's my son's birthday. I'm here to celebrate." His speech slightly slurred, breath reeking of liquor as the older man moved into her personal space.

"We've met, sir. But that doesn't matter. You don't get to celebrate this birthday when you've missed all the ones coming before it. You made the choice to walk out of his life, the choice not to accept the love of one of the biggest hearts in the world. And when you did that, you left a gaping hole. And I'll never understand that. Because it wasn't ever a choice for me. But even if it was, I'd choose that man every day. It's so easy to love him. And I'm going to do my best, for as long as he'll let me, to patch up the damage you did. So no, Roger, you don't get to celebrate."

She didn't slam the door, but he could see her shaking just a bit as she turned around.

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry. This is your house Karen. I shouldn't have done that. And Jake, if you want him here, I can go back out and…oh, I've ruined your birthday, haven't I?"

"No, Ames. Best." Kiss "Birthday." Kiss "Ever." Kiss. "Thank you. I don't think I would have been able to do that and then he really would have ruined my birthday."

Later that night, both wrapped up in their winter coats, Karen pulled Amy into a hug and quietly whispered into her ear. "Thank you for loving my son." Amy's eyes teared up just a bit, but she was able to wipe them away without Jake seeing as he hugged his mother goodbye.

"You got a keeper, Jakey." Karen shouted from the front door as they made their way to the car.

"Brilliant detective slash genius slash girlfriend." He shouted back kissing her head and opening the door for her.


End file.
